Teachers abandon formal dressing

Teachers have said they will no longer be able to adhere to the formal dress code requirement due to incapacitation as they push to be paid a clothing allowance as part of improving their working conditions.

Progressive Teachers’ of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Raymond Majongwe (pictured) said unlike their counterparts in the public service, they are not privileged with a clothing allowance, hence their decision to deviate from the norm and go for a “free dress code”.

“We have, therefore, taken a position to say when reporting for duty put on anything that you can afford, except nudity. We cannot afford expensive dresses and suits while our stomachs are empty,” he said in a statement.

“Unlike everyone else who is getting a dressing allowance, teachers are not getting any support in this regard.”

Majongwe added: “Following intensive consultations with the generality of the membership on dress code, comrades we are reiterating our position earlier communicated to Public Service Commission that due to serious incapacitation it is increasingly becoming difficult to adhere to the prescribed dress code when on duty.”

Meanwhile, Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said he was optimistic that their fight for better remuneration will bear fruit.

“We have the confidence that we will achieve the interbank-indexed salaries for all civil servants. We are reporting to work once in a fortnight and we don’t care what people wear going there. Street protests and other means of protests will win the day as we seek to restore the dignity of our profession,” he said.

Masaraure, however, refused to acknowledge commonality with PTUZ over the dress code issue.

“No, we are not in solidarity (with PTUZ), but we don’t mind what teachers wear during this revolutionary phase,” he said.